# INTRO
The recent green cycling tour offered us a look into the entire process of collecting and then recycling empty cosmetic bottles. In addition, we could also watch the recycling process for aluminum coffee pods. While very convenient, coffee pods are often disposed of as general trash because consumers find it difficult to wash them themselves and then separate their components to dispose of them individually. The tour provided us with the opportunity to watch the whole process of washing, crushing and separating them. The more complex the recycling process is, the more manpower and time are required. So, while pondering better ways to recycle coffee pods, I happened upon TBDX's pod-type machine, XBloom, which won the Best Innovation Award in the robot category at CES 2023. I was reassured at CES 2023 held in January that ESG elements are now being actively introduced into technology, painting us a picture of a more sustainable future.

# Xbloom, a pod-type coffee machine that uses fully compostable coffee pods
What would coffee made on a machine designed by an ex-Apple engineer taste like? U.S. startup TBDx has developed a coffee machine to deliver barista-level taste and aroma to everyone. This product won the Best Innovation Award in the robotics category at CES 2023. Xbloom, fittingly for a product designed by a former Apple engineer, was created with an emphasis on the ability to provide a very intuitive, convenient immersive experience. In addition, with sustainability in mind, all parts were constructed to be sturdy and long-lasting using TBDx's patented technology called “solid-state injection.” The machine itself features a smart pod called xPod, which is made from sugarcane bagasse — the leftover residue from sugar cane stalks after extraction of the sugar — so that coffee pods and grounds can be composted directly after use.

# BeFC's environment-friendly batteries and sensors
It is said that tens of billions of batteries are discarded every year, and most of them (97%) are either buried or incinerated. The problem is that conventional batteries contain toxic substances, heavy metals, and electrolytes, thereby posing a significant environmental risk. To solve this problem, French startup BeFC has created batteries and sensors out of bio-based materials for safe disposal and recycling, such as printed circuit boards (PCBs) made of glucose cellulose composites. Those products can even generate small amounts of power from carbon paper electrodes with the use of enzymes through biocatalysis, which allows them to support low-power applications such as sensor data collection and transmission. Furthermore, when you combine a digital sensor platform optimized for ultra-low power with BeFC's paper biofuel cell, you can process data through various sensors (temperature, humidity, light, 6-axis accelerometer and pressure), store it in local memory and also transmit wireless data using the major protocols (NFC, UHF RFID, BLE and Sigfox) for wearable and IoT applications.

# BCool, a battery-free digital thermometer rechargeable by shaking
I would also like to introduce BCool, last year's award-winning product in the battery category. BCool is the world’s first eco-friendly smart thermometer that does not require batteries. BCool has adopted Baracoda Daily Healthtech's BMotion sensor technology so that it can be recharged with some gentle shaking and can measure body temperature in a non-invasive, precise manner (+0.2 ºC). With BCool, you can also send measurements to an app via Bluetooth to monitor the body temperature. BCool does not necessitate looking for a power cord for recharging. There are not any batteries requiring disposal and the device also features a main body made from recycled plastic. Thanks to its ease of use — you only need to shake it once or twice before use — it is deemed suitable for various applications other than thermometers.